Energy prices

[ProfJohnL]

Prof,
Just wondered if you have experience of the solid state equipment used by site owners today? I have seen three examples over the last five years. I’m no spark like you but there are plenty of units available on line and in use today

Yes I am aware of these, but assuming they have been correctly specified would cost considerably more than the unit I have pointed to. If the units your' e refering to are low cost they may not measure the power in the same way that I described. but they arestill probbaly more expensive than the meter I pointed to.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Should I be inclined, I could readily measure my caravan's electrical energy consumption with our little domestic plug in energy meter, with kit I have already, albeit not whilst pulling the full 16 A.

Simply use a 16A Commando plug to 13A domestic socket adaptor, and a 13 A plug to 16 A Commando socket, all 13 A stuff housed out of the weather in a plastic tub. Cost of kit, zero now.

I have not been inclined, nor have I in recent years ever found cause to argue with the reading from the on-pitch meters I have hooked up to.

Whilst what you say is true, it does still have some issues. Firstly the gear your suggesting could not be used safely outdoors such as on a caravan site with power stanchions, and secondly all of the plug in modules I have seen do not stipulate how the power is measured i.e. real or apparent.

 

[Dustydog]

Sorry Prof, we are at cross purposes here. The CLs I mention use very simple solid state pay by coin meters. Small simple things as described. Your ones are pretty well full size and not really suitable for payg on site Imo. The relatively small outlay for the site owner of say £150 , lasting 10 plus years makes it very good economic sense especially in his budget planning. How will your Check meter help him? Sorry I really think we are talking about different things here?

 

[ProfJohnL]

Sorry Prof, we are at cross purposes here. The CLs I mention use very simple solid state pay by coin meters. Small simple things as described. Your ones are pretty well full size and not really suitable for payg on site Imo. The relatively small outlay for the site owner of say £150 , lasting 10 plus years makes it very good economic sense especially in his budget planning. How will your Check meter help him? Sorry I really think we are talking about different things here?

We definitely are describing different items. I am trying to describe a device a caravanner can use to monitor the total power a caravan consumes - basically a a standard domestic meter,

The reality is if you want to be able to verify the amount you are being charged you need to use a system that works in the same way as the systems used by the power companies, and that's the real power which a disk meter responds to. However there is further problem, unless the meter is properly calibrated (and by that i mean its ability to record the number of units of power that pass through the system accurately) You have no basis on which to challenge who ever is selling the power.

 

[Dustydog]

We definitely are describing different items. I am trying to describe a device a caravanner can use to monitor the total power a caravan consumes - basically a a standard domestic meter,

The reality is if you want to be able to verify the amount you are being charged you need to use a system that works in the same way as the systems used by the power companies, and that's the real power which a disk meter responds to. However there is further problem, unless the meter is properly calibrated (and by that i mean its ability to record the number of units of power that pass through the system accurately) You have no basis on which to challenge who ever is selling the power.

I dread to think how much one of those will erode my payload😉

 

[Buckman]

There was even one set of posts claiming meters could be recalibrated remotely. Again not correct.

Ours as changed from E10 to standard without them visiting so have to assume it was done remotely?
BTW when I asked whether there was something simple and cheap to measure consumption to a caravan, I must admit I thought one or two posts would answer the question either yes or no.

 

[otherclive]

Ours as changed from E10 to standard without them visiting so have to assume it was done remotely?
BTW when I asked whether there was something simple and cheap to measure consumption to a caravan, I must admit I thought one or two posts would answer the question either yes or no.

From the posts I have seen there doesn’t appear ti be a cheap meter that you can just plug in and monitor consumption.

Not sure what you mean by change from E10 to standard. If you mean the rate on your smart meter has been revised, isn’t that normal when you change tariff? But it is not a recalibration.

 

[Buckman]

From the posts I have seen there doesn’t appear ti be a cheap meter that you can just plug in and monitor consumption.

Not sure what you mean by change from E10 to standard. If you mean the rate on your smart meter has been revised, isn’t that normal when you change tariff? But it is not a recalibration.

I am using the words that they use as stated they would recalibrate it from E10 to Std. E10 is like E7 except at different times during the day. I guess there is more than one meaning for recalibrating depending in which context it is used.

 

[Tobes]

E

I am using the words that they use as stated they would recalibrate it from E10 to Std. E10 is like E7 except at different times during the day. I guess there is more than one meaning for recalibrating depending in which context it is used.

E10 is Economy 10. E7 is economy 7. Tariffs with low rate charges for certain periods of the day (or night) .
This is a possible, but it’s very expensive for a casual caravaner.

Meter Maid 16A 230V Portable Electricity Meter

Meter Maid accurately measures individual electricity consumption with pinpoint accuracy. Low prices, fast delivery. Shop now.

www.piratescave.co.uk

 

[otherclive]

E

E10 is Economy 10. E7 is economy 7. Tariffs with low rate charges for certain periods of the day (or night) .
This is a possible, but it’s very expensive for a casual caravaner.

Meter Maid 16A 230V Portable Electricity Meter

Meter Maid accurately measures individual electricity consumption with pinpoint accuracy. Low prices, fast delivery. Shop now.

www.piratescave.co.uk

It is a few pounds cheaper from a boat chandler (post #33) Wonder if caravanners are seen as a soft touch!

 

[JTQ]

There are differing meanings of "calibrate", hence also recalibrate, one is rescaling another validating.
In the context of this thread simply rescaling makes zero difference to the validity of the amount of energy shown as used. CALIBRATE

 

[Gafferbill]

Both I and Jaydug have fitted a mains electricity meter to our caravans.
We both did a DIY fitment but this is not for the inexperienced.
Fitment involves a doughnut coil sensor being fitted with the incomming mains live feed wire though the centre of the doughnut coil.
In my case the sensor and associated wiring were all housed in an insulated sealed box beneath the caravan's front seating.

Monitor fitted above wardrobe.......

Monitor screen readout.........

Top left ........in comming supply voltage.
Top right......... real time amperage use.
Bottom left......real time wattage use.
Bottom right.....total kilowatt hour usage (can be set back to zero)

Cost of monitor kit was £10 from an online supplier plus £10 for insulated box and bits and pieces.

 

[Jcloughie]

Both I and Jaydug have fitted a mains electricity meter to our caravans.
We both did a DIY fitment but this is not for the inexperienced.
Fitment involves a doughnut coil sensor being fitted with the incomming mains live feed wire though the centre of the doughnut coil.
In my case the sensor and associated wiring were all housed in an insulated sealed box beneath the caravan's front seating.

Monitor fitted above wardrobe.......

Monitor screen readout.........

Top left ........in comming supply voltage.
Top right......... real time amperage use.
Bottom left......real time wattage use.
Bottom right.....total kilowatt hour usage (can be set back to zero)

Cost of monitor kit was £10 from an online supplier plus £10 for insulated box and bits and pieces.

Would like a link to the supplier if poss.

I did the same a couple of years ago though hung on the wall instead of fitted in. It was excellent. I also only paid about £10 but from Ebay.

Mine was new but old stock labled as Southern Electric. but the rechargeable batteries failed. There are plenty on Ebay now but from about £40, An OWL is around £90.

I don't know what the worry is about measurements accuracy. Perhaps these units aren’t 100% but they will give a fair ball park figure and help you to keep below the post max.

John

 

[JTQ]

I don't know what the worry is about measurements accuracy. Perhaps these units aren’t 100% but they will give a fair ball park figure and help you to keep below the post max.

Possibly the accuracy concerns comes for those wishing to challenge the site owner's meter figures; IMO life is too short, if I thought a site was ripping us off then it would not be somewhere we would be intending to reuse.

 

[Buckman]

Possibly the accuracy concerns comes for those wishing to challenge the site owner's meter figures; IMO life is too short, if I thought a site was ripping us off then it would not be somewhere we would be intending to reuse.

As mentioned in an earlier post we did come across this previously. However we suspected that the meter was faulty and the owner was not aware. No ways would your consumption more than double during the night when you are sleeping. The owner did offer us a refund so no issue.